Dresden 2026 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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FM: Fachverband Funktionsmaterialien

FM 12: German-French Focus Session: Materials Research in Polar Oxides – From Domain Engineering to Photonic and Electronic Devices I

FM 12.5: Vortrag

Mittwoch, 11. März 2026, 11:00–11:15, BEY/0138

Properties of Charged Interfaces in Uniaxial Ferroelectrics — •Conor McCluskey, Kristina Holsgrove, Andrew Rogers, James Dalzell, Ronan Lynch, Raymond McQuaid, Tchavdar Todorov, and Marty Gregg — Queen's University Belfast, United Kingdom

When the polarisations of neighbouring ferroelectric domains abut, a bound charge develops at the interface. Often, these charged domain walls show enhanced electrical conductivity, which is typically taken as a sign that the polar divergence is fully screened by the mobile transport carriers. Transport measurements, however, suggest the carrier densities associated with domain wall conductivity lie well below that expected for a fully screened ferroelectric bound charge. In fact, some charged domain walls lack enhanced conductivity entirely. In these cases, polar rotation occurs to fully avoid the development of bound charge, leading to topological patterns in the polarisation field. Here, we discuss the interfaces formed between thermally bonded lithium niobate single crystals generated with intentional head-to-head character. We show that the interfaces formed uniquely host both of these properties: enhanced conductivity, and a striking array of polarisation vortices. Furthermore, since this interface is formed by thermal bonding of two crystalline structures, there is freedom to introduce relative lattice twists between the two parent crystals, which is unavailable at regular domain walls within a single parent crystal. We will discuss the interplay of strain and electrostatics at these unique interfaces in the context of their emergent functionality.

Keywords: Ferroelectrics; Domain Walls; Bonding; Transport; Polar Topology